Rainy Weather Slows Minn. Corn, Soybean Harvests

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Cool, wet weather has slowed Minnesota's corn and soybean harvests in the past week.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Minnesota had only three days suitable for fieldwork last week. Minnesota's average temperature was nearly 43 degrees, almost 3 degrees below normal. Precipitation statewide averaged nearly 1.5 inches, and parts of Minnesota had trace amounts of snow by the week's end.

Ninety-five percent of Minnesota's corn crop is mature, slightly behind the five-year average of 96 percent. Ninety-seven percent of the soybean crop is mature.

The corn harvest is only 19 percent complete, well behind the normal 49 percent, while the soybean harvest is 80 percent complete, slightly behind the normal 83 percent.

The USDA canceled crop reports during the last two weeks because of the federal government shutdown.

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